Page:The Practice of the Kansas Code of Ethics for Newspapers.pdf/2

 least. In this article, the Kansas Code, which is still presumably the standard for Kansas publications, will be considered by sections in relation- ship to its effect on Kansas newspapers after twelve years.

As an early code there are necessarily imperfections, and it is significant that in a number of cases present accepted standards have advanced beyond the standards outlined by Mr. Miller in 1910. Miss Ruth Armstrong, a gradu- ate in the University of Kansas De- partment of Journalism, who is pre- paring her thesis on "The Ethical Responsibility of the Newspaper," states, however, that the Kansas Code is more comprehensive than many of the codes adopted by other state editorial associations since 1910. The writer is indebted to Miss Armstrong for much information on which com- ment regarding the Kansas Code is based.

As interesting as the Kansas Code, is the discussion and argument printed by Mr. Miller at the time of the Code's adoption. Mr. Miller saw in the efforts then being made in Congress to restrict postal rights of newspapers, an indication that newspapers were guilty of offenses against public inter- est. He outlined these offenses under three headings: (1) influencing reports to serve the interest of larger ad- vertisers; (2) influencing reports to serve political ambitions; and (8) offenses against the sensibilities of more enlightened people while influencing the reports to sate the morbid ap- petite of those less enlightened.

Mr. Miller called attention to the presidential message of George Wash- ington advocating the transmission of newspapers and periodicals through the mails free of postage. Washington held that such publications were public utilities "because they were calculated to preserve the liberty,

stimulate the industry, and meliorate the morals of an enlightened and free people."

"The sensational journalism and large advertising interests of today were unknown then," Mr. Miller said. "The former does not meliorate the morals of the people, and the latter does not tend to the preservation of their liberties." Mr. Miller urged that the postal restrictions were the natural result of newspaper policies that tended away from public inter- est. He advocated self-control of newspapers by the publishers them- selves along the right lines to prevent governmental restrictions. The Code was offered as a standard of guidance.

"I do not anticipate that such a code would be practised to the letter," Mr. Miller explained. "In our case we have no power of enforcement and want none.

"We might have a state board of press discipline whose members are selected by this association, and who are empowered by statute to hear complaints and try offenders, but such a board is, like legal or postal inter- ference, subject to very serious ob- jections. We would better obtain the desired results by recommending that our state department of journalism imitate the example of that famous institution, Fordham University, which was the first law school in the land to offer a course in professional ethics, and urge that our University school take advantage of its fine facilities and offer a course in newspaper ethics."

Since that time, newspaper ethics has become a regular subject in the Department of Journalism of the University of Kansas in the course, "Newspaper Problems and Policies."

The Kansas Code is in two general divisions: first, for the publisher; second, for the editor. Under the heading, "For the Publisher," there